A/N: Thanks to Stef for inspiring the pool scene. It is probably my favorite so far. Let me know your thoughts in a review. It is the oil my writing runs on.
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Feels Like Home
Chapter 10
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My arms are open (oh, oh)
My arms are open (oh, oh)
My arms are open (oh, oh)
My arms are open (oh, oh)
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One week later
The cast came off. The day before the scheduled appointment, Harvey had drawn silly pictures and scribbled goofy words on it. It had been his effort to keep her from spiraling at that moment.
The doctor had asked if she wanted to keep the artistically decorated piece but she unceremoniously dumped it in the trash can right there.
So now they are home. Harvey is going over some numbers for a merger as Donna circles the room. She is allowed to use her arm. She can use her arm. He has seen her do it carefully at the doctor's office but now it is just hanging limp next to her body.
"How about a dip in the pool?" Harvey shuts his laptop and looks expectantly at Donna. "Hilli said to exercise right?"
She knows what he is doing. He's taking the mental approach instead of the physical one but it is just a ploy to get her to move her arm. Nonetheless, she dips her head in agreement. The idea of less resistance in the water feels safe.
Harvey is already swimming laps when Donna finally decides to take off her robe and join him.
His head swivels to the side during his front crawl technique just as she reveals her bikini-clad body.
Forgetting he is in the water, he gulps and immediately starts spluttering.
He's seen many revealing dresses over the course of thirteen years but nothing compares to this black bikini. He isn't even sure how she got it. Did she order it, did she try it on with him in the next room?
He pretends to shake the water from his ears but it is really more to shake himself out of it. Because she sure has his head spinning.
Donna is sitting on the edge, legs in the water. "It's cold," she complains.
"It's the part of you that isn't in the water that's cold. Come…" Harvey reaches out his hand.
After some hesitation she takes it and he slowly pulls her into the water. She can stand on this side of the pool. She squeals and he laughs as she splashes some water his way. "I'll have you know I'm still cold."
Harvey's eyes crinkle at the corners in happiness because she is using her arm and doesn't even realize it.
"You'll have to move to keep warm."
Donna narrows her eyes. "Once I do that, you'll come up with something new again. Probably that I need to wrap myself up in a robe. Only my robe is made of silk and hardly reaches my knees so it won't do the trick either."
"Don't I know it," Harvey mutters but Donna doesn't hear him.
"Which means you'll say I need to take a hot shower…"
Harvey quickly dips all of himself underneath the water as he's thinking, "I need a cold shower."
"I might as well go straight to that shower and warm sweater," Donna finishes as he re-emerges on the surface.
"We will do no such thing." He grabs both of her hands as he walks backward so she's lying in the water. He's surprised at her willingness but she is busy staring at his face.
"What? Is my hair sticking to all sides?" He consciously rolls his eyes from left to right but he can't see anything of course.
Donna smiles. "Quite the opposite. It's very flat. It reminds me of when we met."
There is something in her voice that he thinks sounds a lot like affection.
"Well, that just proves that I'm only a bottle of gel away from being a douche again."
Harvey keeps walking so Donna is kicking her legs to stay afloat.
"Oh, you still are. That never went away, Mister." Donna laughs loudly as she insults him and he doesn't mind one bit because it is music to his ears.
He pretends to be sulky though and lets go of her hands.
They reach an area where Harvey can stand on tiptoes still but Donna, being a few inches shorter, fails to touch solid ground beneath her and is forced to use her arms to keep herself from sinking.
She narrows her eyes at him as she swims past him. She knows it is all part of his plan.
Harvey catches up with her quickly as Donna uses the breaststroke and he goes for the front crawl again.
"I'm not a very good swimmer," Donna confesses as she reaches the other side where Harvey is waiting for her. "I just know the breaststroke."
"No problem," Harvey kicks off again but this time he opts for the breaststroke too.
They swim a few laps in companionable silence. It is in the middle of their next lap that a door falls close and someone enters the area. Donna's head swivels to the side and she sees a young man in swim shorts dropping a towel on a chair. She swallows but keeps swimming. If Harvey notices her being uncomfortable, he is ignoring it.
When they turn around to head back, the guy is sitting on the opposite edge of the pool in very much the same way Donna had been earlier.
They have a front-row view of the guy lowering himself slowly into the pool. He has a few diving rings he throws into the water and as they sink to the bottom, Donna realizes he isn't going to do laps but rather dive around near the steps.
Her pace is slowing down and she comes to a halt right where she can reach the bottom.
Harvey notices her whole posture going rigid and she seems to be shivering a bit too.
"Are you cold, Babe?"
Donna's eyes grow wide as she nods. Harvey grabs her hand as she pulls her along to the side, a bit further away from the guy.
He leans back against the wall and maneuvers her in front of him. "I know you're nervous," he whispers as he runs the top of his fingertips over her back.
If this was meant to make her stop shivering, it is not working.
"My whole body is screaming to leave," Donna confesses quietly. "But he's near the stairs and my arm isn't strong enough to heave me out of the water."
He looks into her eyes, seeing the panic rising. He's proud of her voicing so accurately what the issue is.
"We can leave," Harvey nods, "but we can also try grounding."
She shrugs sadly, feeling trapped. Passing the guy isn't an option without going into a full-blown panic attack.
"Smell?"
But she shakes her head. He supposes she is right as they got used to the chlorine smell already.
"Count?"
She shakes her head again.
"Shame, I was gonna let you count the wrinkles on my fingertips. I look like a prune."
He has her looking up and her lips briefly form a smile as he indeed is frumpled all over.
The guy suddenly comes up from the water not too far from them and Donna startles. She throws her arms around Harvey's shoulders, burying her face in his neck. He instantly wraps his arms around her waist. He feels her heart hammering in her chest, drawing her as close as he can.
"I'm going to count back from ten, just listen to my voice," he whispers in her ear.
He slowly counts from ten to one as he softly squeezes her sides at every number. Feeling her heart rate slow down, he leans in to tell her, "That guy thinks I'm whispering sweet nothings into your ear you know."
She surprises him by wrapping her legs around him. The swift motion catches him off guard and his hands graze her bum as he tries to steady both their weights in the water.
Donna looks him in the eye when she says, "Two can play this game, Babe."
He chuckles and carries her as he walks to the middle of the pool, away from the guy.
"You should call me that, later when I'm in the partners meeting."
She wrinkles her nose. "Are you looking for corporate suicide?"
He frowns in confusion.
"I'd give them a collective heart attack," she explains.
"Fine, just in front of Louis then."
She playfully slaps his shoulder as he untangles her legs behind his back and sets her down.
"I'm not…" she begins but Harvey slides in front of her.
"Grab my shoulders," he commands.
She does as told and Harvey stretches his body in the water, slowly doing an outsweep with his arms as he kicks his feet.
Donna softly gasps as she is pressed against his back as Harvey swims the length of the pool with her holding tight.
The guy is finally going for a lap too and as he comes their way, Harvey sets off for their return and deliberately goes diagonal in the pool to create as much space between them as possible.
He delivers Donna right in front of the stairs and with a thankful smile she quickly climbs out. She wraps her towel around her waist and tucks it in. She shrugs on the robe and makes a beeline for the exit. Harvey is still dripping as he follows her into the elevator.
Forty-five minutes later, Donna is wrapped up in his robe on the couch as Harvey hands her a tea.
She washed her hair and had called for Harvey because the pool incident left her reeling and she forgot to grab a set of clothes.
He had told her to grab his robe for now and it is soft and warm and snuggly and it smells like him. It's the perfect comforter for the off-kilter feeling that still has a hold on her.
As she takes the mug from him, his arm moves upwards and as he walks away the back of his hand brushes her cheek.
Her head snaps up but all she sees is his back.
He sits down at his desk and gets to work again. She promises herself to keep it together for the rest of the day because between their hospital trip and dip in the pool, he hasn't gotten a lot done yet.
The daily fruit bowl and a cracker with Nutella are on the coffee table and she finishes it completely. A silent thank you for all he is doing again today.
Harvey is arguing when Donna enters the apartment a few days later.
He's trying to hold it together and be polite but she can hear in his tone of voice that his patience is wearing thin.
"I know Vanderbilt wants to meet but he's either going to have to talk to me online or wait a few more weeks."
Donna slips off her shoes to not notify him of her appearance but Harvey still turns around as she moves into the kitchen. He doesn't want to do this in front of her so he gestures to the door behind her.
It is then that she notices the sliding door to the balcony being pushed open. Halting at the threshold she gasps softly. "What the..?" She looks over her shoulder but Harvey has his back to her. She ventures outside while checking her watch. It really had only been two hours since she left for her appointment with Hilli.
Gone is the metal-framed couch. Gone are the containers with conifers. Instead, there are pots in different sizes filled with daffodils, snowdrops, tulips, crocus, grape hyacinth, Virginia bluebells. The whole balcony is a sea of color and it smells wonderful.
A seating area has been erected. Not from pallets but the acacia wood sofa comes close to what she described the other day. The sectional sofa is set close to the ground and has two large lounge parts on either side with a backrest in the middle. It is scattered with colorful cushions and looks so inviting. The fire pit close by is a guarantee for relaxing on the still chilly evenings.
There is a large wooden dining table with woven patio chairs. Also decked out with cushions in vibrant colors. An outdoor grill is tucked away along the wall, waiting for its first use.
Walking around the table, brushing the wood with her hand, she is now facing the wall left of the sliding door, and there tucked away in a corner is an egg chair with a cushion and sheepskin inside. Next to it, leaning against the wall is a large wooden frame donned with small pots filled with herbs. Her vertical garden.
Seeing all this fills her heart with joy. She shared her dream and Harvey made it a reality. It doesn't escape her that it is what he always does. Spend a lot of money on fulfilling her material wishes. She won't be here forever so it seems kinda silly for him to go to such lengths for just a short time frame but secretly she can't wait to curl up in that egg chair with a crossword puzzle.
"Is this what you had in mind when you said the place needed more ambiance?" Harvey's breath tickles her ear as he comes up behind her, watching her take everything in.
She bobs her head. "You shouldn't have, but thank you."
He brings his hand up to her shoulder and squeezes it lightly. She traps it there as she clasps her own hand on top of his. After a few seconds, he places a flat hand in the small of her back, giving her a gentle push.
"Go on," he tells her. "Hop in that egg chair before I do."
The gentle breeze blows her hair in her face as Donna nestles in the chair with a big smile.
Her red strands are tumbling with curls ever since she dried it naturally the other day after their swim. Her face is natural without any makeup but she seems more beautiful than Harvey has ever seen.
He sighs softly to himself. He's in a whole lot of trouble.